Details, Fallout On Eagles’ Firing Of Chip Kelly
The Eagles’ decision to part ways with head coach – and de facto GM – Chip Kelly was Tuesday’s biggest piece of news, so it’s no surprise that reports since then have been adding new details to the story, exploring the fallout, and looking ahead to the next steps for both Kelly and the Eagles. We’ve got plenty of Kelly-related material to get to, so let’s dive right in…
Details:
- Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie “apparently” spoke to some players before making the decision to fire Kelly, says Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). However, both McLane and Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link) talked to several Eagles players who said they had no idea the move was coming.
- When running back DeMarco Murray spoke to Lurie recently, he expressed a lack of confidence in Kelly, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link) notes that Lurie already knew that the locker room wasn’t thrilled with Kelly and his methods, so that was nothing new, but the situation reached a breaking point.
- According to McLane (Twitter link), Lurie and Kelly had a meeting today that didn’t go well, with the decision to fire the head coach coming shortly thereafter. ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio has heard something similar, reporting that Kelly balked at the idea of ceding personnel control in a recent meeting with Lurie (link via Pro Football Talk).
- However, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com (Twitter links) says he wasn’t able to confirm the rumor that the Eagles wanted to strip Kelly’s personnel power, and Garafolo (Twitter link) adds that word out of Philadelphia suggests the team didn’t make Kelly an offer to remain as head coach without that personnel power.
- James Harris, Kelly’s “chief of staff,” was also let go by the Eagles today, according to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News (Twitter link).
Fallout:
- Kelly insists he wants to remain in the NFL, rather than go back to college, and says that at his next stop he just wants to coach, rather than overseeing personnel decisions as well, reports Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (Twitter links). Of course, as Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com observes (via Twitter), Kelly said he wasn’t interested in making personnel calls when he joined the Eagles as well.
- The Dolphins are a team that will be in the market for a head coach this winter, so James Walker of ESPN.com and Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald explore whether or not the team should pursue Kelly. Neither scribe views him as a great fit for Miami.
- Rapoport (Twitter link) heard from a high-ranking Titans source several weeks ago that Kelly wasn’t on the team’s list of head coaching candidates since he was under contract. Now that that’s no longer the case, perhaps Kelly will be added to Tennessee’s list of possible targets, though Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com is unconvinced he’d be the answer for the Titans.
- Albert Breer of the NFL Network and Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (Twitter links) offer of a couple of potential Eagles head coaching targets, with Breer naming Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott and Mosher identifying Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase.
Panthers Waive Wes Horton
A little over a month after he was suspended four games by the NFL for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances, defensive end Wes Horton has been waived by the Panthers, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
After he sat out for four games, Horton received a roster exemption this past week that was set to expire today. The exemption allowed Carolina to carry the defensive end as a 54th man, without activating him to the club’s 53-man roster. The Panthers then had to decide by today whether to activate him or cut the 25-year-old, and have chosen to part ways with him.
Horton, an undrafted rookie in 2013, made 15 starts for the Panthers last season in place of suspended teammate Greg Hardy. Following a rookie campaign that saw him compile eight tackles and two sacks, the former USC standout finished 2014 with 26 tackles and three sacks. In 2015, Horton compiled just seven total tackles and one sack in eight games (two starts) prior to his suspension.
Horton will become a free agent if he goes unclaimed on waivers.
Sunday Roundup: Matthews, Dimitroff, Brees
As the NFL world continues to reel from the Peyton Manning HGH allegations, let’s take a look at some links from around the league:
- Although the majority of the fallout from the Al Jazeera documentary has naturally focused on Manning, it should not be forgotten that other star players, like Packers LB Clay Matthews, were also named in the report. Per Mike Garafolo of FOXSports, via colleague Jay Glazer, Matthews has denied even knowing who former Guyer Institute intern Charlie Sly is and has naturally denied receiving any medications from him (Twitter link).
- No one disputes that there is a talent deficiency on the Falcons roster, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says GM Thomas Dimitroff will not necessarily take the fall for that deficiency. Per Rapoport, owner Arthur Blank will sit down with Dimitroff after the season to hear his GM’s plan for the team moving forward, and Blank will make a decision about Dimitroff’s future then (Twitter links).
- Speaking of embattled GMs, Kevin Patra of NFL.com (citing Rapoport) says Dolphins GM Dennis Hickey–who was essentially rendered superfluous when the team hired Mike Tannenbaum–will likely be fired at the end of the season.
- Les Bowen of The Philadelphia Daily News has even more troubling news for Eagles fans, reporting that veteran left tackle Jason Peters took himself, unhurt, out of last night’s loss to Washington because he did not want to risk getting injured for a team that was not going to make the playoffs.
- Following a report this morning that Drew Brees would need to take a hometown discount to remain with the Saints in 2016, former NFL agent Joel Corry weighs in on the matter in a series of tweets. Corry says that New Orleans will have to make a quick decision on Brees’ future, as $10.85MM of his $19.75MM base salary becomes fully guaranteed on February 10, 2016, the third day of the waiver period. Because there is no offset language in Brees’ deal, if the Saints were to wait until after February 10 to cut him, they would be saddled with nearly $21MM of dead money. As Corry points out, that reality gives Brees a great deal of leverage, which should allow him to “slow play” contract negotiations.
- Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com looks at the dilemma the Panthers will face this offseason when deciding whether to re-sign Josh Norman, put the franchise tag on him, or let him walk in free agency.
- Citing a league source, Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee tweets that the 49ers plan to keep Jarryd Hayne on the team’s active roster through the end of the season, thereby allowing San Francisco to keep Hayne under club control for 2016.
NFC Notes: OBJ, Brees, Hawthorne, Megatron
The NFL has found no evidence that Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was on the receiving end of homophobic slurs and insults from Panthers players prior to last Sunday’s game, a league source tells Mark Maske of the Washington Post.
Reports earlier this week suggested Panthers players directed homophobic slurs at Beckham, but punter Brad Wing – who described Marcus Ball‘s pre-game actions – said that he didn’t hear any slurs, and they weren’t brought up during Beckham’s appeal hearing. As such, no Carolina players will be disciplined, assuming no new information surfaces.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- Despite battling what he describes as a “Grade 2” tear of the plantar fascia tendon in his right heel, Saints quarterback Drew Brees is adamant that he’ll play this weekend, per Evan Woodbery of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Asked why he’s so intent on not sitting with the Saints out of playoff contention, Brees replied, “One reason only: I want to play for my guys. Bottom line.”
- Saints linebacker David Hawthorne has been inactive for the team’s last three games, and may be nearing the end of his time in New Orleans, Woodbery writes in a separate Times-Picayune article. Hawthorne, who has spent his last four years with the Saints, took a pay cut back in March, but given his decreased role, that may not be enough to save his roster spot this time around.
- Speaking of pay cuts, it’s possible that Calvin Johnson will have to take one to remain with the Lions. Kyle Meinke of MLive.com examines that possibility, including Megatron’s comments – or lack thereof – on the situation
Free Agency Notes: Forte, Mack, Norman
Last night, we heard Matt Forte was aiming at a Bears return. But the running back’s sense of pragmatism’s also kicking in, with the eight-year veteran admitting he’s unsure if the Bears will make him an offer, according to an Associated Press report.
“I mean, I want to return,” Forte told media. “But if you’re saying am I hopeful that I do return? There’s not much to hope for right now because like I’ve said, I talked to (general manager Ryan Pace) earlier and they haven’t said anything back. So there’s nothing really to hope for.”
Forte envisioned the Bears breaking their silence regarding his future in Chicago after his strong start. But after a midseason knee injury, the 30-year-old runner is on pace for his worst statistical season.
Here’s some more news from around the league on Christmas Eve.
- Alex Mack will opt out of his unique Browns deal and seek to become the first center to earn $9MM+ per season, CBSSports.com’s Joel Corry tweets. That price seems logical for Mack, with the salary cap rising next season. Mike Pouncey and Rodney Hudson hover at $8.9MM+ per season after signing their deals this spring.
- Yahoo’s Charles Robinson categorizes the upcoming free agent class and placed Brock Osweiler and Kirk Cousins in a high-risk sector, given the quarterbacks’ high-variance futures. Robinson anticipates the Broncos paying the fourth-year quarterback, however. Robinson also places Eric Berry and Olivier Vernon in his “bank-breakers” category, given their impressive contract-year showings. In terms of unlikely paydays, the Yahoo reporter lists Broncos defensive ends Malik Jackson and Derek Wolfe, along with Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson, as those who will surprise with their second contracts.
- The Panthers‘ locking up Josh Norman will create a logjam atop their roster, Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap and the Sporting News writes. Should Norman re-sign, Carolina will have five players making more than $9MM next season as of now prior to any releases or restructuring. Fitzgerald expects Norman to push to become the NFL’s highest-paid corner and potentially aim for a $16MM-per-year accord. Darrelle Revis, Patrick Peterson and Richard Sherman are the league’s only $14MM-per-year corners. No. 1 on Pro Football Focus’ metrics almost all season long, Norman’s dropped to 12th, however.
- In an expansive analysis of players’ actual 2015 earnings, Corry concludes Philip Rivers was this year’s highest-paid player when factoring in deferrals and state taxes. Eli Manning and Marcell Dareus, with New York’s sub-9% state income tax rate, rank second and third behind Rivers’ $15.39MM post-taxes total.
- Fitzgerald expects a substantial amount of high-profile performers being released or forced to restructure their contracts this offseason due to the failure to justify their salaries. In being a top-tier wage-earner at their position, the OTC analyst lists 43 players who are signed to upper-echelon contracts but didn’t make either the Pro Bowl or Pro Football Focus’ Pro Bowl team. DeMarco Murray, Demaryius Thomas, Mario Williams and Joe Haden are among the numerous recognizable names on Fitzgerald’s list of underwhelming performances-per-contract value.
NFL Pro Bowlers In Contract Years
The NFL announced its Pro Bowlers for the 2015 season on Tuesday night, and while those rosters will certainly undergo some changes in the coming weeks – as players with injuries or on Super Bowl teams bow out and are replaced by alternates – it’s worth noting that several players in this initial crop are in contract years, and will be eligible for free agency this winter.
Currently, there are eight players in contract years among the Pro Bowlers, and not all of them are players you might expect. When we ranked the top free agents of 2016 earlier this month, we placed Bears wideout Alshon Jeffery second overall, but Jeffery didn’t get a Pro Bowl nod, partly due to the injuries that have slowed him down this season, and partly due to the star-studded group of receivers he was up against.
Similarly, our list of this offseason’s top 10 potential free agents included a pair of left tackles, Russell Okung of the Seahawks and Cordy Glenn of the Bills. However, given the strong group of left tackles that are locked up to long-term deals – including Tyron Smith (Cowboys), Jason Peters (Eagles), Joe Thomas (Browns), and others – neither Okung nor Glenn could crack the initial Pro Bowl roster.
Here are the eight potential free agents who earned Pro Bowl berths:
- Eric Berry, S (Chiefs)
- Doug Martin, RB (Buccaneers)
- Von Miller, OLB (Broncos)
- Reggie Nelson, S (Bengals)
- Josh Norman, CB (Panthers)
- Mike Tolbert, FB (Panthers)
- Muhammad Wilkerson, DL (Jets)
- Charles Woodson, S (Raiders)
Berry, Miller, Norman, and Wilkerson earned spots on our top-10 list, and each of those four standout players should be in line for either the franchise tag or a lucrative long-term contract. However, the extension cases for the other four players on this list aren’t quite to cut-and-dried.
Woodson, of course, has an expiring contract, but isn’t expected to sign another one, having announced earlier this week that he’ll retire after the season. That takes him out of the extension equation entirely.
Martin is having an excellent bounce-back season in Tampa Bay, and is the most logical candidate to receive the biggest free agent deal for a running back this offseason. As we saw last winter though, not many running backs sign massive free agent contracts, and 2015’s biggest deal – DeMarco Murray‘s – won’t exactly encourage teams to invest heavily at the position. So there’s a ceiling on how much Martin will earn this winter, despite his Pro Bowl berth.
Nelson and Tolbert are interesting cases. Nelson’s counting stats (an NFL-best eight interceptions) and Pro Football Focus grades (10th among safeties) suggest he’s had a very strong year, but he’ll also be entering his age-33 season, so it’s fair to question whether he’s deserving of a contract in the range of the ones that Berry and perhaps Eric Weddle will sign.
As for Tolbert, his Pro Bowl nod comes at one of the league’s least-valued positions, and he’s also now on the wrong side of 30, which is generally bad news for running backs. I expect he’ll draw interest from plenty of teams if the Panthers don’t lock him up, but as a 30-year-old fullback, his earning potential is limited.
One more player worth mentioning is Browns center Alex Mack. Technically, Mack still has three years remaining on his contract, but he’ll have the opportunity to opt out this winter, and coming off a Pro Bowl season, there’s a good chance he’ll take advantage of that option.
Ultimately, these eight players – plus Mack – aren’t likely to get a huge boost to their annual salaries on their next contracts simply because they made the Pro Bowl. In fact, Tuesday’s Pro Bowl announcement may very well have a more tangible impact on players with Pro Bowl bonuses in their current contracts.
Still, you can bet that the representatives for these potential free agents will be sure to point to this year’s Pro Bowl roster to help make their case that their clients are among the best players in the NFL at their respective positions.
NFC Notes: Saints, Packers, Eagles, Panthers
With the Saints‘ season winding down, Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com revisits the September trade that sent defensive lineman Akiem Hicks to New England in exchange for tight end Michael Hoomanawanui. As Woodbery writes, neither player has made a huge impact for his new team, though New Orleans has had to play Kevin Williams a little more than expected to compensate for the loss of Hicks, and the Saints’ lack of depth.
- Having landed on injured reserve on Monday, Packers wide receiver Ty Montgomery will undergo surgery on his ankle next week, agent Damarius Bilbo tells Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Although the rookie’s high ankle sprain – sustained in October – had healed, there’s still cartilage damage that needs to be repaired.
- The Eagles could be without their starting nose tackle as they make a run for the postseason, Derrick Gunn of CSNPhiladelphia.com reports (via Twitter) that Bennie Logan could be out for the remainder of the season. A source tells Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News that Logan will miss this weekend’s contest against Washington.
- The Panthers will have a roster exemption for defensive end Wes Horton until next Monday, tweets Howard Balzer of the SportsXchange. Horton has been reinstated from his four-game suspension, but won’t be able to return to action until Carolina places him on its 53-man roster.
NFC Notes: JPP, Panthers, Maxwell, Washington
Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul has been reasonably effective since returning from his hand injury, but the bulky club on his right hand has prevented him from being as sure a tackler as he once was. As Tom Rock of Newsday details, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is confident that JPP will make the necessary adjustments. Teams around the league will likely be keeping a close eye on the veteran pass rusher down the stretch to see how he adapts, since he’s eligible for free agency this winter.
Here’s more from across the NFC:
- With the Panthers three wins away from a 16-0 season, Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer takes a look back at GM Dave Gettleman‘s time with the franchise, examining both his good and bad moves since taking over the job.
- Byron Maxwell‘s deal with the Eagles may have looked like a $63MM mistake earlier in the season, but the cornerback has played well in recent weeks, and is beginning to justify the club’s investment in him, says Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News.
- With multiple players trying new positions this season, Washington has gone mad scientist on its roster, and so far many of the team’s experiments have worked out, writes Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post.
Workout Notes: 12/16/15
It’s been a busy last couple of days around the NFL, with teams still looking to fill up their squads for the rest of the season. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweeted a whole bunch of workout notes this afternoon, which we’ve compiled for you below…
Arizona Cardinals
- CB Mitchell White (link)
Atlanta Falcons
- OT Cody Booth (link)
- DE Xzavier Dickson (link)
- OG Cole Manhart (link)
Buffalo Bills
- TE Andrew Gleichert (link)
- LB James-Michael Johnson (link)
- TE Jacob Maxwell (link)
Carolina Panthers
- OG Al Bond (link)
- DT Eric Crume (link)
- CB Travell Dixon (link)
- QB Zac Dysert (link)
- TE Joseph Fauria (link)
- NT Ishmaa’ily Kitchen (link)
- C Tyler Larsen (link)
- OG Matthew Masifilo (link)
- OG Shelley Smith (link)
- S Usama Young (link)
Workout Notes: Broncos, Moore, Thomas
Earlier today, we learned that former first-round pick Phil Taylor is auditioning for the Vikings. However, he’s not the only notable player to show his stuff for an NFL team this week. Here’s the full rundown:
- The Broncos auditioned wide receivers DeVier Posey, Greg Little, and Denarius Moore plus running back Daniel Thomas, according to PFT (on Twitter). Moore didn’t have a single reception during his time with the Bills this year and he was cut loose in late November. He worked out for the Packers on December 1st, but nothing came of that tryout.
- The Broncos also worked out tight end/fullback Manasseh Garner today, a source tells Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Tight end Nick Kasa and quarterback Ryan Lindley also showed their stuff for the Broncos, as Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Panthers worked out former Chiefs first-round pick wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Panthers also auditioned wide receiver Cobi Hamilton, as NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Baldwin, the 26th overall pick of the 2011 draft, has 44 career receptions for 607 yards, mostly with the Chiefs.
- The Cardinals will work out Edmonton Eskimos corner Aaron Grymes today, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Grymes was a CFL All-Star this past season, intercepting four passes and even returned one for a touchdown. In three seasons with the Eskimos, Grymes has eight interceptions total.